Meeting Lorna Dane
by jeangreymullinsjr
Summary: Jean comes to visit Scott and Alex in Hawaii, but doesn't realize she'll have to compete for attention. Classic JOTT.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! This is my first story for I hope you enjoy it. I started writing this when I was very sick, so please take that into consideration if you review. It's not up to par with my usual writing samples, but it gets the point across. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters.

Chapter 1:

"When do you think you'll be able to come?" He mentally rebuked himself for sounding too eager.

"My flight leaves kinda late on Friday, so I should be getting there really early in the morning on Saturday. I wish it was sooner. Oh, and you don't have to worry about picking me up cause I know you'll be getting your much needed beauty sleep, so if you can give me the address, that'd be cool, cause I was gonna just call a cab." Jean added as an afterthought, hoping it was said faster than he could comprehend, thus no argument. No avail.

"What! I'm not gonna let you take a cab! Are you crazy?" 

"But Scott, it's gonna be like 3 or 4 in the morning by the time I arrive…."

"I don't care what time it is! You're not gonna take a cab when I'm perfectly capable of coming to get you. Besides, I know you hate it when someone isn't there to greet you at the airport."

"Really Scott, its okay if I take a cab. I'll be fine and I really don't mind at all. It's gonna be so early in the morning and I won't be in the mood for talking anyhow!"

"No buts Jean! I don't wanna hear anything else about it! I'm picking you up and that's the end of it!"

"I'm not telling you when the flight actually gets in…" she said with a smile and a faux sense of anger.

She heard him smiling as he responded, "You know, I can just look up when your flight will come in online, so there's really no use in not telling me. You'll just cause me more work and less sleep and a few more gray hairs."

"Yatta, yatta, yatta…that's what I do best."

"Then we agree on something."

She hadn't even bothered to really get dressed for her flight since it was an overnight trip. When she picked up her carry on to exit the plane, she still wore her striped capri pj's and the simple white shirt she had slept in the afternoon before. Her bright red hair was pulled into a messy bun on top of her head and she had thrown on her 'mocha' rimmed reading glasses last minute in case the turbulence would be too great to sleep. Thankfully, there was no issue with the plane, just with the person she was seated next to. Jean had never been one of those girls that had made fun of another person's weight, but the man she was placed next to was so incredibly obese that he was shoving her into the window without knowing it, and the person on his other side into the isle. For such an early flight, she was surprised at the number of people on board. It was Hawaii, but still! 

She rubbed her numb arm, which had been trapped between the man's girth and the armrest for about five hours now, as it slowly and painfully started to tingle back to reality. 

_What is the hold up? Why don't I see my luggage?_

After the absolute last suitcase had been shoved over the slide and spit out onto the spinning retriever, (she knew this because it was the big orange one owned by the airport that clearly said "This is the last item"), she angrily got up and stormed over to the Baggage Claim office. 

_It is WAY too early for me to be dealing with this shit!_

The young man looked up from behind the counter, a smug look spreading across his features as he greedily looked her up and down. "Can I help you, miss?" He asked, his lips upturned in approval.

_Ugh, I'm so not in the mood for this! This guy's gonna get more than he's bargained for!_

She sauntered up to the counter with a devious look playing in her eyes. The young man, whose name tag read "Brian" did not suspect a thing as he watched her hips gently sway while walking; his gaze clearly not focusing on anything above her chest.

"Brian, is it?" Jean asked sweetly.

He smiled lazily, nodding, his eyes obviously straining to make out the detail of the trim on her bra through her white shirt.

_What's with this guy? What a creep! You'd think he's never seen tits before!...Ugh!_

She suddenly slammed her hands onto the counter, I mean, enough is enough, right? Fire blazed in her eyes as she played her 'its way too fucking early in the morning, I can be a bi-polar bitch" card.

"Why the HELL isn't my luggage on that rack? And why the HELL can't you look me in the fucking face?"

Brian reeled back in shock, his eyes widening, his mouth ajar. Jean almost broke into laughter as she heard "_Whoa_ _My God, Abort, Abort….Wrong chick….No Thank You!" _playing in his mind, but she controlled herself, switching her approach to a calmer, more professional stance as she folded her hands in front of her on the table. 

"Well, do you know where my luggage is or not?" She said in a voice she often used with the younger students that emphasized her authority. 

"Uuhhh, hold on. Lemme check on that for you, Ms….." 

"Jean Grey"

Brian stumbled his way into a back room, glancing back at her every few seconds, looking panic stricken.

_Yes, you watch me... _Jean thought happily. _Now, we could be getting somewhere._

It was only a few moments later when Brian arrived back with her suitcase in hand, rambling something about it being put on a previous flight. She really wasn't paying much attention to him; just signed for it and turned towards the exit without saying goodbye.

As she walked through the tunnel to the waiting area, she was met with the most welcoming sight she had ever seen.

Scott was asleep, or appeared to be asleep, on one of the couches. Her heart ached at the sight of him. She hadn't realized how much she had actually missed him until seeing him now. He wore a plain white tee (like her own, she noted) and a pair of worn blue jeans that he had probably thrown on in haste as he left the beach house this morning still half asleep. 

Even from this distance she could see the red glow lighting up from behind his sunglasses, and knew then that he was awake. A slow smile, _Oh, that smile, _crept onto his face as he stood and started walking towards her, stretching a little as he went.

Jean immediately dropped her bags and ran to him, jumping into his arms and locking her legs behind his back. Scott, who was still somewhat asleep, was completely taken aback by this gesture, but held onto her none the less. _Who am I to stand in the way of progress,_ he thought happily to himself. She breathed into his shirt to get a sense of him. Yes, everything was familiar and as it should be. She was 

vaguely aware that the airport had cleared of all people, for the exception of a few maintenance workers and a flight attendant just leaving to go home. 

_Man, poor Scott! That asshole in baggage must've kept me longer than I thought._

"You smell like home," she mumbled into his shoulder, hoping he would only think she was talking about the institute they lived in. He smelled of her laundry detergent he must have stolen to wash his clothes in, smelled of a warm bed newly woken up from, his shampoo, something she couldn't quite recognize but knew it had to be his brother Alex, and he smelled of Scott, his particular natural smell that drove Jean crazy with wanting to climb into him, fall asleep, and never wake up again. His clothes felt extremely worn and soft as if this was not the first time he had modeled this exact ensemble without washing them in between, and most of all, he smelled like 'home', the home Jean pictured herself never leaving, always surrounded by, her constant in life, her Scott.

_What am I thinking! He's my best friend, and what does that make me? I can't bring myself to hop off of him right now. Mmmmm….I wanna go to sleep with his shirt stuffed up my nose and his warm arms around me…..Oh My God Jean! Get a grip!_

When she tried to untangle herself from him, she indeed found that she couldn't, even though he had let go and was trying to bend forward to pick up her discarded luggage. She simply couldn't will her limbs to move. Her body had turned against her and no longer heeded her commands, not that she was demanding much. 

Scott laughed slightly and said, "You know Jean, sometimes you act just like a three year old." She released a muffled groan in protest, not that she would actually rise to his bait so early in the morning. Yes, he would be dealt with in the morning, _wait, this is the morning_…she thought to herself. 

Nothing was said. She clutched him tighter to her and held on for dear life as he descended the stairs that led to the parking lot, luggage in tow. How he managed to carry both Jean and her luggage down those stairs AND find his car in the dark parking lot this early in the morning, when he was clearly still half asleep was a mystery to her. She reluctantly released him to slide into the passenger seat of his rental car. The smooth leather seats felt cold through her thin pajamas even though the temperature outside was very warm for this time of year. _Well, this IS Hawaii,_ she thought as sleep once again claimed her.

When Jean woke up a few hours later, she found herself in a bed she didn't recognize, in a room she didn't recognize, in a house she didn't recognize. She froze. There was someone in bed next to her that she didn't….._Scott!_ She breathed her sigh of relief as the figure's head turned to reveal a pair of red sleeping goggles. _Duh, we're in Hawaii,_ she thought to herself. Everything came flooding back to her then and the most serene expression came over her face as she remembered she'd be spending the week here with her best friend and his brother. _My vacation begins…._

She curled into Scott's side and rested her head on his shoulder. She almost purred out loud when he unconsciously wrapped a protective arm around waist. _Oui Vey! You're losing it Jean. Calm yourself!_

She was going to have to do something about this slight 'crush' she had on him. This wasn't going to lead anywhere. Scott had always considered Jean as a little sister, and he, her protective older brother.

_Oh, he's only older by, like, six months!_ Yes, this trip will help her put things into perspective and get her mind off of 'liking' Scott. _Hell, I'm in HAWAII of all places….I'm sure I can find plenty of distractions around the shoreline._

Scott and Jean, both, nearly jumped out of bed when a familiar blonde ran in through their door screaming, "Scott, Jean, Danger Room Session in five minutes! I want you both dressed and downstairs immediately!" They then collapsed right back into bed begrudgingly.

The intruder continued. "Well, it's about time I walk in here and find you wrapped up in a pair of long legs, Scott," the amusement was evident in his valley-boy accent. "Hey Jeannie," he added, bending down to kiss the redhead on the cheek. She beamed up at him through a mess of tangled locks.

Scott rolled over onto his stomach with his head face down in the pillow. A muffled "Two more hours Alex" was heard. 

"Not today, bro. I've got an entire schedule planned out for us that begins with the giant breakfast I just made."

_Entire schedule planned out for us…yup, he's Scott's brother. _Jean thought miserably. Scott didn't need a schedule for once, he needed to relax, be spontaneous for a change, no routines, no responsibilities, no cares. _No intruding Alex, just this room and me with my legs wrapped around him and this bed or that shower, or the couch on the far wall or…..Oh, maybe this isn't going to help me at all. I'm never gonna get over him like this…..but I could get under him…_

Jean laughed out loud at her own ridiculousness as she climbed out of bed, setting her clothes to rights.

"What's so funny?" Scott asked, turning over in bed to glare at her. Alex had jumped onto the bed as soon as Jean got up from it and now both were looking at her curiously.

"Nothing, just thinking." Alex clearly had lost interest in the conversation as he began to pretend surf on the mattress to get Scott to follow Jean's example of getting up. 

"About what?" He was obviously not willing to give this a rest. 

"Nothing in particular. Besides, it's none of your business anyway!" She stated in a huff, turning and walking towards the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Someone's not a morning person…," Alex said in a sing-song voice as he collapsed on the bed next to his brother. 

"Neither am I! Go back to your room Alex and let me wake up in peace." Scott commanded grumpily as he turned over once more onto his stomach, burying his head underneath the pillow. 

"Come on, bro. It's a beautiful day out. Besides, today's the day you meet my girl. I just know you're gonna love her, bro. Hey, I was thinking…you still haven't told Jean how you feel yet, right man?" Scott turned to glare at his brother in a 'what are you planning' type of skepticism. 

"That's what I thought. Well, I was thinking…"

"Never a good sign."

"Whatever man. I was thinking that maybe, since you haven't really met Lorna, and Jean's never even heard of her….she hasn't heard of her, right? Good, then you could, like, make her think that I'm bringing Lorna over to meet you or something, for like, ya know, I'm trying to hook you up or something. Then, you can totally see if Jean likes you or not depending on if she gets super jealous. If she gets moody, then she totally digs you man, and then you should have no prob telling her how you feel. It's just a harmless way of figuring out if she likes you or not."

Scott considered this over in his head. _It does seem pretty harmless when you think about it. I don't know, somehow I can foresee this going badly. Oh well, can't hurt to try it out._

"Do you think that Lorna will go along with this?"

Alex's face lit up, "I wasn't really planning on telling her, ya know, the whole 'someone has to be innocent' gig. I think it'll work out perfectly though. I mean, Lorna's been dying to meet you and she's def one of those people that are all touchy feely to get to know people. So I think that the moment she meets you, she's gonna be like, 'Oh Scott, I've heard so much about you. You def got the better looks in the family, Oh, come sit near me and we can cuddle and get to know each other… Ya know, something along those lines."

"Does she do that with everyone? I don't think I could stand it if Jean was like that with people she barely knew."

"Relax bro. She just understands that you're like my only family and she always wants to make good impressions, so I just know how she's gonna react to you. It's cool. I know she digs me, man, so I've got no prob in that area."

"Ok man, I just think that this isn't going to work out the way we hope it will. Watch her totally ignore it and become like best friends with Lorna. Or worse, she could encourage her to go for me, then Lorna will get all confused and spill that she's with you and Jean will get pissed and oh, this isn't going to be good at all!"

Scott sunk down, defeated in bed. "Don't worry about it bro. Everything will work out fine. You'll see. You'll have that gorgeous, long legged, read head in your arms in no time. Promise."

This is the end of chapter 1. Hope all was enjoyed. I think the saying goes…"Please Read and Review," but I could be mistaken. Send any additional comments or suggestions you may have to mcdon953mymail.tcc. you for reading! 


	2. Chapter 2

First of all, I would love to thank Diaz F, Allyg1990, and Slickboy444 for reviewing my first chapter. I love the feedback! I hope you all enjoy Chapter 2!

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters.

* * *

Chapter 2:

Scott sat on the end of the long dock contemplating Alex's latest plan. He examined his knuckles that still somewhat stung from the blow to the arm he had delivered to his brother this morning and chuckled slightly.

"_Man, do you know what this could mean for you bro?"_

"_Enlighten me."_

"_You can totally have your girl after this and finally get rid of all that pain you've probably been feeling."_

"_What pain?"_

"_Well, I can only assume that it isn't pleasant to have that stick shoved so far up your ass for as long as you've had it…."_

_(First blow: Delivered)_

"_I mean, Jean can help you pry it out….it's probably wedged pretty far up by now…good thing she's a telekinetic!"_

_(Second blow: Target Missed only due to the speedy retreat of the loud mouth, giggling perpetrator)_

He chuckled again, remembering. _Alex could be on to something. I really hope this works._

Images of Jean at various ages came unbidden into his mind. Jean's one moment of clumsiness, which he had been fortunate enough to witness, as she tripped over her own shoe while running through her bedroom to escape his tickling fingers. "Grace," he had called her then, as she glared up to him with her hair in her face and her breathing ragged from exertion. Jean, with her hair draped over his desk chair as she spun in circles with her head back, the light catching each strand as it danced evenly with her turning. Jean, with the surest expression of victory playing across her beautiful features as she sat cross-legged in the open field out back, knees bloodied and palms raw, an indefinable grime smeared over her clothes and our football resting beside her as she had just scored her first touchdown against Hank's undefeated team. Jean, just out of the shower, in nothing more than a towel, yelling at Bobby Drake to quit stealing her bras to use as a dual slingshot for his water balloons, that damned water still dripping off of her locks and onto her shoulder and down her chest to fall in between the knotted towel at her front and further, he imagined, over the crest of her…

"Hey Scott, breakfast is waiting!" Alex shouted from the other end of the dock, pulling Scott back from his daydreams before they got to graphic. He felt his cheeks burn from the blush that had crept up his neck and over his face. _Thank GOD he can't see me!_ "I'll be there in a few!"

He let the warm wind wash over him and breathed in the salty beach air. He calmed his breathing before rising. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Wow, you can tell someone has become accustomed to living like a beach bum for the past month!" Jean commented into her mug as she watched her friend enter the dining area. Scott wore a pair of holey, frayed kakis that stopped at his knees and the same plain white tee he had been wearing the night before, if not, she could presume, for all of the nights since he had arrived on the island. And he had that particular wind-blown look, un-shaven and wild. _Mmmm…I could get used to that…_Jean 

thought, eyeing him over the rim of her chai. She suddenly felt very proud of him for relinquishing his tight hold over his own life, for letting go and not giving a damn. She smiled deeply as she buried herself in her last sip.

"Okay _Captain Ron_ we've got eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, fruit salad, and of course, a fresh pot of brew for ya." Alex unsteadily balanced two plates full of food on one arm and the full pot of hot coffee in his other, the molten liquid sloshing about in its unsealed pot, ready to scorch whomever it landed on.

'_Please HELP him!' _Scott pleadingly sent Jean through their mind link, and giggling, she acquiesced only just in time, tilting her head a little to the side in concentration.

He loved watching her work. She would get this sort of, _knowing_ look to her miraculously emerald green eyes, and his heart swelled with pride for he knew just how long it had taken her to achieve this level of concentration, how hard she had worked at it, and how many pieces of furniture and various accessories the Professor had him piece back together whenever she had one of her accidents. Of course, _balancing a pot of coffee is nothing compared to some of the things I've seen her do, _but just watching her made him smile.

He looked over her attire for the first time since sitting down; that damned silk robe she loved to wear blanketed loosely over her form, sending his imagination on a joy ride. The split down the middle slipped to reveal one tanned thigh as she raised her knee to her chin while reading the morning paper, while also revealing…_no, is that her underwear?!_ _What is she thinking? _

In a sudden fit of anger he snapped out, "Jean, why aren't you dressed? You were in that bathroom for almost half an hour this morning and you don't even look like you've taken your shower yet, let alone put some clothes on! You can freakin' see all of London AND France, the way you're sitting!"

Alex nearly choked on his bacon as he looked in between the two. _This is going to be great!_ He thought excitedly. Jean had turned a lovely shade of red, whether from embarrassment or from anger or a complicated mixture of both that somehow included pleasure, Alex couldn't tell.

"First of all Scott," she began, shooting him a death glare and slowly folding her newspaper menacingly, "It's really none of your concern WHAT I wear. I could run around NAKED if I wanted to, and you really couldn't do a thing about it! And if I WAS in my underwear, why would you be looking anyway?" Alex's smile broadened as he imagined the sound lashing Scott was about to receive.

"Second of all, just for your information, I'm wearing my bathing suit under this robe, or have you already forgotten that we were going to the beach after breakfast? Which brings me to my NEXT point," she continued without waiting for his reply, "One does not usually bathe BEFORE swimming or covering oneself in tanning oil, and I REALLY don't think you're one to talk about NOT bathing. It doesn't look like you've touched a shower in the MONTH you've been here! So, don't begin to lecture ME, Scott Summers about WHAT and WHAT NOT to do while I'm on vacation!" _Did I just yell at him for letting himself go? I thought that was something I was proud of a few moments ago? Errr…I can't think straight when he pisses me off!_

Satisfied, and yet somewhat uneasy about her little speech, she rose from the table and shoved the last bite full of eggs into her mouth. "Thank you for breakfast Alex. It was delicious." And just that quickly she was gone, slamming the door to the bedroom behind her.

Alex stared at his brother, open-mouth, clearly shocked. _Obviously, he hasn't known Jean that long._ Scott thought amusedly as he looked to his brother with a questioning expression.

"Wow, did that really just happen? Man, I thought I was in for a treat seeing you get your ass handed to you for lookin' at her goods, but MAN, she is a SPITFIRE! That was completely brutal! Are you okay, man?"

Scott shrugged casually. "That really wasn't all that bad. I've been on the shit end of worse and it most likely won't be the last time this week."

Alex looked disbelievingly towards his older brother and after a few moments of inner debate, Scott quickly added, "yeah, I'm gonna go apologize now."

The blonde's eyes widened in amusement as he made a _Waaapppssshhh! _sound, accompanied by the gesturing of a whip being cracked.

As Scott headed towards the closed bedroom door, the only 'encouragement' he heard from the youth behind him was the humming of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust."

* * *

_Man, fighting with Scott SUCKS! I can't reach this spot on my back. _Jean pouted as she struggled to apply an even layer of tanning oil on herself.

'_So, that's all I'm good for?' _Jean labored to contain her smile as she realized she had been projecting unconsciously to Scott, who had come up behind her to grab the bottle from her hands. She turned to present her best puppy dog look and was met half way as Scott leaned in to gently press a kiss to her head. He rested his forehead against hers, their eyes locked.

"I'm sorry Jean," he voiced softly, his warm breath stirring the hair that had fallen loose from the confines of her elastic headband. She inwardly rejoiced at how close he was to her, and then kicked herself for the way her thought process was working lately.

"I'm sorry too Scott." She stood on her tip toes to wrap her arms over his shoulders and pull her face into the crook of his neck, embracing the warmth his body provided. _Ugh, what am I doing? It's already like 88__ o__ in here!_

She pulled back a little to look up into his eyes, _well, his sunglasses,_ and added, "And I do actually like the fact that you've been able to let your hair down on this trip. I'm really proud of you. I got here thinking I was going to have to pry you away from your usual routines, and I've found that half my work has already been done for me."

The last part had not escaped his notice and he now turned a curious eye in her direction as they parted for good. "Jean?" He asked as he squirted the contents of the bottle onto his hand and began to massage her back with the oil. He splayed his thumbs across her shoulder blades in gentle circles while his fingers worked at the nape of her neck. He then worked his way down her spine, fingers playing along her sides, and for the finale, a strong concentration on the small of her back.

"Mmm?" was the only response she could manage that wasn't an outright moan. _Oh God, Oh God, what is he doing with those hands? Abort! This really isn't helping me! I AM WEAK! This has to stop. I can't make him stop. Oh God….where in the HELL did he learn how to massage like that? _She braced herself against the lip of the counter when she began to feel her knees quiver, locking her elbows and dropping her head to her chest.

"What's the other half that you have to work on?" He pressed, almost completely obvious to the effect his ministrations were producing. His concentration was entirely focused on the fact that this was the first time he had ever been allowed to touch her so freely. He relished the feel of the oil against her soft skin, and had to struggle to control himself from running his hands along the entire length of her body. _God, she's so perfect. Since I've come this far, maybe she'd think nothing of it if I…_

Since her head was down, Scott couldn't see the smirk that spread like wildfire across her face. The angel on her left shoulder had lost the battle as soon as she had felt his fingertips slip under the strings holding up her bikini bottoms. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was fully aware that by doing this, he was only ensuring that if the strings moved, which they were bound to do, she wouldn't get an uneven tan. This made perfect sense to her, seeing as how Scott was always this considerate about everything. Why wouldn't he be about something this logical?

She tailored her voice to sound as normal as possible before responding sweetly, "You'll see."

They both jumped half way out of their skins as a loud pounding issued from the door; minds snapped to awareness and arms fell to their respective sides. "You two have like, five minutes to kiss and make up cause its prime time on the surf right now!"

Scott was the first to speak, trying to coat the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between them in something more 'everyday.' "So, your Highness, are you ready for some fun in the sun now that you're all oiled up and ready to burn?"

Jean recovered quickly and fluttered a hand behind her as she left the bathroom. "Whatever Slim, don't be jealous when I'm all tan and gorgeous and you have to steal my bronzer to even out your farmer's tan."

"At least I won't die of skin cancer like you will!" He yelled at her retreating form, his smile never leaving his face.

"Yes, but I won't die looking like Hank Hill!" He could hear her laughing from the living room.

"No, you'll just end up looking like a bad version of George Hamilton or one of those ugly, spotted dogs with the random tufts of hair that people pay God knows how much on!" He retorted, joining her on the front porch as she wrapped her beach cover-up around her waist.

"So, basically what you're telling me is I'll still be tan, but now famous and/or worth a lot of money. I'm not understanding your argument yet."

"Come on Jean," Scott said wrapping her arm around his and pulling her towards the ocean. "Your destiny awaits you."

* * *

My footnote numbers didn't really work out, so if you're confused as to some of my puns, please review the notes below.

"Captain Ron" is a reference to a funny Kurt Russell/Martin Short movie. If you haven't see it, you should def. check it out!

Hank Hill is the main character from the cartoon "King of the Hill," which I've never actually seen, but we should assume that Mr. Summers has.

Lastly, George Hamilton is an actor/commercial.

I'm sorry if any fans have been offended for my mentioning these names in jest.

* * *

So, what did yall think of my second chapter? I get the feeling that this day is dragging on a bit, but it IS the focus of the fanfic, so most likely the next couple of chapters will center around the events of this day as well. Sorry if no te gusta. I'm open for suggestions as to what the trio could do between now and tonight's big introduction of Alex's 'girl.'

I probably won't be able to work on and post the next chapter until next weekend due to the rigors of college life, but I'm always receptive to feedback, so please read and review!

Thanks again to those who have reviewed!


	3. Chapter 3

Hello again! Much thanks to Diaz F, Allyg1990, Slickboy444, babieblue and Kelly Greyer for reviewing! I know I'm about a month late in updating, sorry about that. At least I've compensated with making this the longest chapter so far! Here's the next installment of "Meeting Lorna Dane." Enjoy!

Chapter 3:

_What to wear, what to wear?_ Jean thought as she stood in her robe; her wet hair wrapped in a towel about her head. The beach hadn't proved much of a distraction to Jean, at least, not in the way that she had hoped. Her focus had been stuck on one tall, dark and scruffy with red sunglasses the entire afternoon, much to her dismay. _I should probably just face it. How am I ever going to find someone as perfect as Scott? Ahhh, unrequited love… ain't it a bitch! If only I could make him see me as a woman and not his best friend. Hmmm, this should do the trick!_ With that, she produced the new dress she had purchased before the trip, out of her luggage. It was a strappy, low-cut, form-fitting dress in a soft champagne color, which at the time, kind of reminded her of a nightgown, but she had bought it anyway. _This will be perfect for Alex's party tonight!_ _Time to put this hard-earned-money spent to good use! _

Slipping into the bathroom, she quickly got ready. She decided to leave her hair down, remembering vaguely that Scott had once mentioned that she looked best that way. She applied very little makeup, only adding a little eye liner and mascara. "Don't wanna look too trashy," she mused in her fakest southern accent, giggling a little to herself.

With her look complete, she sauntered through the beach house towards the other guest bedroom in search of Scott and possible praise.

* * *

The bathroom door was open and he could be heard humming to himself softly. She eased against the door frame, preparing for some witty comment to throw at him, but was silenced by the sight of him. He had apparently just gotten out of the shower, for he still donned a towel around his waist; the water still forming droplets down his leanly muscled back and shoulders; his hair messy and dripping, as he leaned closer to the mirror and dragged the razor over the stubble that had begun to crawl down his throat.

_Dear God, why does he do this to me?_ She whimpered to herself, shaking off the thoughts of ripping that annoying shield of terry cloth off of him and ravishing him in all his deliciousness on the spot. _Stupid Jean! That might be a little obvious that you like him_, she sighed again.

Once she had successfully herded her thoughts back into 'Reality Corral,' she masked her emotions behind teasing eyes before letting her presence be known.

"Whoa, ho, ho! Who are we getting dolled up for tonight?"

The smile, _Oh, that smile, _spread quickly across his face as the blade began another descent from his jaw. It was then that he chose to glance over at her. _Wow._

_Good Lord! Mmm Hmm, very delectable Ms. Grey. Now, why did you have to go and wear something like that tonight? I'm too young to be arrested for rape…_ his thoughts wandered, as well as his eyes, (which were thankfully hidden), over every inch of her. It started with those amazing emerald green eyes, then falling on her deep red locks that trickled over her shoulders and, he could imagine, down to her lower back, swaying gracefully with each move. The tone of her dress complimented the glow of her skin, making it seem as if she barely wore anything. The plunging neckline framed her cleavage in a thin lace of the same champagne color, which appeared to be a little pink through the red lenses. The dress, itself, hugged every curve of her body, accentuating her full breasts, thin core and shapely hips, stopping just above the knees as the flesh continued to form two perfect legs. _Forgive me Father, for I have sinned…_

He was suddenly pulled back into the land of coherent thought when a sharp prick of pain formed along the side of his neck, followed by a warm sensation.

"Oh my God, Scott! You're bleeding!" Jean raced over to the cabinet above the toilet to find some first aid supplies. _Shit! Aw, I'm such a loser,_ Scott groaned inwardly as he began to wash the blood off of his razor into the sink. _Man that's a lot of blood…_

"Good grief, Scott! You might need a transfusion," she mused jokingly. "How do you manage these things? Stay still! No, quit leaning away from me or else I can't clean it properly. It's your dumb fault you cut yourself in the first place, and if it gets infected, then I might just have to amputate." She had shoved him down onto the toilet lid kneeled in between his legs to get closer to the wound. _Wow, that was pretty damn deep for just a razor nick._ The cut was as wide as the razor and ran down the side of his neck right below the curve in his jaw.

"HA, HA, very funny Jean." Scott said as he winced at the liberal application of rubbing alcohol being poured onto his neck. "Ow! You're being mean on purpose!"

"Oh, stop being such a baby! There now, that wasn't so bad. Since you've been such a good little trooper, I'll let you have the lollypop that's in my purse. Would you like that, sweetie?"

"Fuck you."

"Tsk, tsk! You're not gonna get any dessert tonight with language like that." Jean winked at him and sauntered out of the bathroom, tossing the box of band aids over her shoulder at a very confused Scott.

_Was she just flirting with me? Naw, I think I've just lost too much blood!_

* * *

"All aboard Scott! Time to mingle, schmooze and meet some hot babes, bro! Wait till you see the one I've got for you tonight, man."

Jean had to work hard to control her facial expressions as she stood by the front door and waited on the two brothers. She felt her whole stomach lurch forward as if someone had punched her. _He's trying to set Scott up? He can't do that! I'm right here! Aw, what if he meets some chick tonight and completely dumps me? Errr! The NERVE of Alex! What is he thinking?! Wait a minute, hold yourself together Jean! Scott isn't yours!_ Alex, however, continued his rant, sending sidelong glances over in Jean's direction to see her reaction.

"She's soooo hot, bro! I know you're gonna love her! I've told her ALL about you and she can't wait to meet you. She really thinks it'll be a night to remember, and if I know her, it will be!" _Haha, Jean looks miserable! I think its working! Now for the kicker…_ "Did I tell you that she's a mutant, too? She could, like, totally kick Magneto's ass, man, cause she's got the same power! Isn't that awesome? And she says she totally digs a guy in designer shades, man."

_Find a happy place. Find a happy place. FIND A HAPPY PLACE! What an ASSHOLE! He can't seriously be considering this! Am I not still his best friend? What kind of an ASSHOLE, quote, unquote, BEST FRIEND ditches their better half for some bimbo his brother picks up last minute? (sigh) This is so unfair! _

A very pretty shade of light rose had crept onto her cheeks as she watched Scott enter the room. This was indeed a changed man. Never before had she seen him exude such a carefree confidence; almost an overt sexuality poured from his very step, from the way his clothing hung casually, but stylishly, to the hair he ran his fingers through. He had even left the top three buttons on his white shirt open to reveal his prominent collar bones; a mere glimpse of the perfection concealed further underneath.

_Wow._ Jean was truly at a loss.

That _loss_ only lasted until her eye caught sight of the large band aid bordering his neck. Her expression then turned from one of grief, to one of amusement as she came towards him.

"Are those linen cargo shorts Mr. Summers? I never had you pegged as a J. Crew model. And I do _LOVE_ your choice of accessories." She took his chin in her hand and turned his face to look more closely at the bandage and continued, "Clean, simple, chic…"

"Ok Jean! I'm aware it's not the most attractive, but it's your fault, ya know." He couldn't help the slight blush that came upon him at his slipped confession.

"On the contrary; you should be fighting the ladies off tonight," Jean joked as she played with the corner of the adhesive strip. "And how is it _my_ fault. I wasn't the one carelessly slinging a blade around my neck!"

"Ok, you two. We're gonna be late." _I hope Lorna made it alright. _"It's just down the road, like, only a couple houses down, so we're gonna walk there." Alex informed, as the three moved out the door and towards a night that none of them were bound to forget.

* * *

Much to Alex's dismay, his fiancé had not yet arrived. _Man, where are you babe?_

As soon as they had arrived, they were ushered to the back of the house which led onto a large open deck overlooking the ocean; large waves cresting against the shoreline to mist a fine spray into the air, unconsciously adding to the humidity of the area. There were also a surprising number of attendants to this party, most of whom Alex instantly recognized as members of his surfing group, and others he assumed were either their dates or more pro's.

Jean and Scott quickly found a nook to themselves towards the back of the deck after being introduced enthusiastically to almost everyone Alex knew; names forgotten almost the moment they were spoken as they were practically shoved into their next pair of hands and smiles.

"Man, I didn't think Alex was so popular…" Jean trailed off.

"Neither did I." The surprise still clearly written across Scott's face.

"You know, I'm really looking forward to meeting this girl that Alex is bringing. She sounds amazing! Imagine, having the same powers as Magneto on our side...well, it'll be refreshing meeting someone new at least. I mean, especially if she's as beautiful as Alex says she is."

After this last statement, all of Scott's words started to blank out to Jean, as if he were Woodstock in the Peanuts. She watched him talk, but from then on, couldn't understand one word; just the way his hands busied themselves in expression of whatever he was talking about and the slight smile that curved his lips. _He's really looking forward to this. Why wouldn't he be? It's not like he's with anyone. Breathe. You knew this day would come. Why do I feel like shit? Man, I've got to get my mind off of this!_

Scott's rambling eventually died down and Jean once again began to relax into the party atmosphere letting the music and the weather, although hot, calm her nerves, as a potential distraction came walking up; his hand extended as he asked for a dance.

With an apologetic smile and a shrug towards Scott, she took the offered hand and allowed herself to be led further into the crowd.

_That's not supposed to happen! She has to be here when Lorna arrives! Well, I guess that proves my theory, anyway. She's definitely not interested if she's so willing to go off with a stranger than be miserable here with me. Some best friend! _Scott was pulled further into his thoughts as he watched Jean dancing. _She's so beautiful. God, I'm such a loser! Why did I let Alex talk me into this? It's pretty damn obvious that she's not into me. Look at her! She's practically plastered herself to that ASSHOLE surfer Alex is friends with. God, can this night get any worse?_

Jean was fighting hard to stay within a close proximity to Scott, casually looking over her partner's shoulder every now and then to check on him. It was always hard to tell with Scott just what was passing through his mind and she didn't dare try to scan his thoughts. She respected him too much. She watched as he stood there, his face impassive as he looked over the crowd, and sighing, she returned her focus to her partner, concentrating on trying to have a good time regardless of the conclusions of her conscious.

It was then that Alex was spotted dancing towards Scott, mischief clearly ablaze in his eyes as his right arm hung back behind him, seeming to be pulling an object through the crowd."THERE you are Scott! I've got someone here who's desperate to meet you, man. May I present the lovely Ms. Lorna Dane!" _That's Lorna? _Jean's stomach threatened to turn as she watched him stop before Scott, slinging his arm out from behind him and revealing the most beautiful blonde Jean had ever seen. _Dear Lord, even I think she's hot. This sucks! _

What Lorna may have lacked in height, she made up for in striking beauty, with high cheekbones, light green eyes, and short, wavy blonde hair, which shown all the brighter against her perfectly sun-bronzed skin.

The second the blonde was released, as Jean observed in horror, she bounded into Scott's arms, almost causing Scott to lose his balance and grip the railing of the deck for support. As much as she wanted to hear what was being said, Jean couldn't seem to get her dance partner to move any closer, so she settled on watching intently while unconsciously swaying to the music. The guy she was with obviously wasn't paying that much attention to her either, as he seemed not to notice her diverted attention.

Jean noted the wide, unashamed, uncharacteristically goofy smile planted across Scott's face and wondered why she had never seen that expression before? _It's this girl,_ she thought bitterly. It was clear that this girl was everything that she wasn't: bubbly, outgoing, confident to the point of throwing herself at strangers. She even managed to do something in seconds that took months for Jean to master; to make Scott smile, and even a smile that Jean had never experienced before. It was the type of smile that someone achieved when in the presence of an overwhelming power; one where you couldn't help but stretch your mouth as far as your skin would allow, basking in the glow of another; an uncontrollable external urge to show their effect on you.

Jean shrank in grief, jealously and anger as Lorna's hand claimed its position across Scott's check and stroked mercilessly while murmuring in his ear something which made him first blush, then smirk in confidence.

Alex seemed to be almost giddy as he stood by laughing at whatever was said.

A vaguely concerned, "Are you alright," went unheard from her partner as Jean made a mad dash across the deck of people and into the house.

_Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God…._Jean could only repeat to herself. _This is really it! I've lost him! Oh my God, I think I'm hyperventilating! Calm down. _

They had found their way to a bench and Lorna had unceremoniously flopped herself down onto Scott's lap, careful to let her tight dress ride a little higher on her thigh, allowing for a perfect view. Alex drooled while Scott seemed completely enthralled in whatever was coming from her mouth.

_Who does that slut think she is? _

This was precisely the question she had a mind to ask as she watched from the kitchen window, slamming her drink into the sink in a loud shatter of glass.

* * *

"Oh, why did I have to meet Alex first? I would have much rather have met you." Lorna purred into Scott's ear, teasing Alex. "Never mind that, you must tell me _all _about yourself now, Scott. I want to know everything about you if I am to become your sister! Oh, I can't wait to meet your grandparents! If they're half as sweet as Scott here, I'll fall instantly in love with them!" Lorna released a mirthful string of laughter, giggling at Scott's deep blush and Alex's contentedly amused expression, completely oblivious to the predator that lurked nearby.

There was a slight tingling sensation in the back of Scott's mind that meant Jean was nearby and not happy. He barely had time to look up before he registered Jean's plan. With a sharp, indrawn breath Lorna felt her arm almost nearly dislocate as it was yanked swiftly, landing her, bottom down, on the deck floor. "What the hell?" She asked, clearly shocked and gazing up at her assailant with a half confused, half angry expression. Alex had stood the second her saw her land to help her up and face the attacker, but sat once more as the identity was revealed; an amused look returning to his face. Scott sat motionless, aware that any sudden movement may draw unwanted attention his way. The last thing he wanted was an irate Jean sharpening her tongue on his backside. _What the hell set her off? She hasn't even MET Lorna yet…_completely forgetting the bet Alex had made.

Lorna's shock quickly wore off as she righted herself, fixing her aggressor with the sternest look she could muster. "Who do you think you are, throwing me to the ground like that?" She nearly spat out.

"Oh, I don't know. It seems you like to throw yourself on a lot of things, like my date, so I figured I'd help you and point out where you could throw yourself next."

_Oh my God, did I just say he was my date? What is he going to think of me now? He's going to deny it and they're all going to laugh at me! I'm so stupid! Why did I just say that? _

It was just moments ago that Jean had felt the loss of her control, most likely around the time that Lorna had begun purring in Scott's ear. It wouldn't have been so bad if she had seen him brush her off neatly. No, he blushed and rewarded Lorna's efforts with one of his perfect smiles. Jean's smiles. Reflecting on this now only made Jean's temper worse and her sadness, jealously and anger rise like bile in her throat.

"What is wrong with you?"

"You." Jean hissed.

"You don't even KNOW me? I've never met you before in my LIFE! Obviously, something else has crawled up your ass and decided to take residence!"

"Maybe it's the fact that _SLUTS_ like you think you can throw yourselves on whomever you want. You go around flaunting your body and easy smiles. Well, I've got news for you sweetie, you can fucking crawl into someone else's pants tonight because you're wasting your time here."

_Oh God, what am I doing? I'm practically dangling this girl like a wounded puppy in front of Scott for him to protect….watch that ASSHOLE bed her to spite me! Wait, what am I thinking…I'm being horrible….Scott's going to hate me and never talk to me again…I'm messing everything up, aren't I?_

The guests nearest them turned to watch as the volume of Jean's voice raised another octave.

_Oh my God, Alex was RIGHT! Jean's totally jealous of Lorna! This is amazing! _Scott sat in shock as he watched the spat unfold before him.

"Listen," Lorna began in a low, menacing tone, "I don't know who the hell you are or who the hell you think I am, but you're way out of your jurisdiction, lady. Not that I have to explain ANYTHING to you, but this is my fiancé!" Jean watched, dazed, as Lorna pointed to Alex. The latter of whom, raised a hand to wave at her, an amused smirk playing across his face. Jean took a step back, vaguely aware the taunting act of the surfer.

_This isn't right! What does she mean her fiancé? Alex? Does that mean that she's meeting Scott because he's to be her brother-in-law? I'm so confused…why would he lie to me about that? Did they set me up? _

"Why don't you find someone else's night to ruin and leave us alone? You're _date_ obviously doesn't want you!" Lorna finished with a piercing glare.

Jean stumbled back as the realization hit her. They _had_ tricked her! _Why would they trick me? _For the first time since she had approached them she looked at Scott and saw, to her humiliation, that he was laughing. _He's actually laughing at me! _She had been a jealous fool and now her long kept secret was revealed, not only to the one person whom she had never planned on telling, but to everyone surrounding them at the party. She clutched the fabric across her stomach as she felt its contents rise, and risked a last glance at Lorna who stood akimbo with her eyes narrowed, brow delicately arched in a way as if to say '_and you're waiting for what_?'.

"I…I'm…I'm sorry…" Jean managed to breathe out before turning and running, unaware that she was being followed from the moment she turned away.

* * *

She fled. As quickly as she could manage, past the party-goers, through the front door and down the road, stopping only when she felt a hand grab her elbow and sling her around.

A breathless Scott stood before her, all traces of amusement gone as he gripped her arm harder, forcing her to stay in place.

Her head began to shake and her mouth tighten as she looked up with tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. "How could you do that to me?" She whispered disbelievingly.

"I love you Jean." He proclaimed, brows creased in emotion, and with rapid succession, barely acknowledged her arm even rising or the hand that struck with such force as to knock the glasses from his face. He shut his eyes tight, now blind and unable to decipher her next move as he felt his glasses forcibly shoved back onto his face, causing him to stumble back a few steps.

"I hate you." She growled out.

He brought a hand to his throbbing cheek as he allowed himself to finally open his eyes, his jaw already fallen in surprise.

"You _LIED _to me Scott! You _TRICKED _me! I felt like an _IDIOT_!" At this point she was near screaming at him to get him to show any emotion other than shock."Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was? And in front of everyone!" Her head was still shaking in incredulity, now blinking back her tears.

Her voice lowered to a heavily laden tone. "Why would you do that? I can't believe I did that…" she barely managed to breathe out.

Scott seemed to come to life for the first time, instinctively reaching out for her. She twisted out of his grasp, her anger renewed. "And all you could do is _laugh_ at me…," she continued.

"Jean, I didn't mean for it to go that far…"

"Well, what DID you _mean_ Scott?" She shot back.

"I just wanted to see…I thought you might….Alex thought that…maybe you might…."

"Might WHAT Scott? Make a fool of myself?" Jean began to shake almost deliriously as she took a few steps back.

"No, that wasn't it Jean! We thought that if we could get you to think that Lorna was here for me,…" he trailed off, unsure of how to finish without sounding too conceded. He finished his statement like a boy that had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, trying to explain how crumbs had landed on his collar; "then you might get a little jealous and…and…that would show that you could have feelings for me and…" _God, I sound so JUVENILE! Why am I such an idiot? How could I think this would work?_

"Well, congratulations Scott. Your plan worked." Her voice was an eerie calm as she stared him down, her eyes bloodshot as she let slip a single tear. She brushed past him, leaving him with a final address. "Don't bother coming to look for me."

And with that, he remained motionless, save for his head he let drop to his chest, allowing for a deep exhalation of breath as he released his own tear to the earth below.

* * *

I'd like to give a big thanks to my friend Rainbowkrak for helping me with this chapter! Love you!

Please remember to read and review and let me know if you have any suggestions for me! I love to hear anyone's input, so fire away!

Thanks again, and I'll be sure to have the next chapter up MUCH sooner than this last time. Finals kinda got in the way of everything! Stay tuned to find out what happens next as the plot thickens….


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: First of all, I just want to say how sorry I am that I haven't been able to get this chapter up sooner. Thank you to all who have reviewed Chapter 3: rainbowkrak, babieblue, slickboy444, and Kelly Greyer. **

**I think that there will only be one or two more chapters after this. That will be what gives this its 'M' rating, so don't worry, it's not a misprint! So, with that said, here's the next installment of the story. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

_Man, I really fucked up! Lorna hates me. Scott probably hates me. Jean definitely hates me! And this was supposed to be a vacation for them, and I totally ruined it. They get a break, like what, every ten years or so? And they spend it like this? God, Alex, you can be such a dumbass sometimes! I just wanted to see my bro and Jean happy for once. Note to self: next time leave them to their own devices!_

Alex sighed heavily as he leaned into his palm, elbow resting comfortably on the railing to his balcony. _Maybe I could convince Scott to go and talk to her…_

"I'm going to go and talk to Jean, see if I can't fix this mess somehow. Well, at least get her to talk to Scott again."

Alex whipped around to see Lorna leaning casually against the sliding glass doors to his room. She held a smirk firmly in place, probably from surprising him. "After all, this is my vacation too and I don't want to spend it with a bunch of mopes!" She pushed off of the doorway and was gone before Alex had a chance to speak.

…_Or I could leave this up to a professional._ Alex thought, finishing hi s previous statement, mouth still agape.

_

* * *

_

How could he be so stupid? How could

**I **_be so stupid? How do I fix this? Argh, why did any of this have to happen? _

Jean leaned back onto her mound of pillows, tossing aside the book she had been trying to read, and sighed. _I can't stay cooped up in here forever. I'll have to face him sooner or later._

"Still sulking?" Was the question coming from the opening of the doorway that she thought she had locked and bolted closed. She turned, armed with her fiercest '_back the fuck off'_ glare.

Lorna stood with her arms across her chest and began laughing. "You know, you look ridiculous right now!"

_Who does this bitch think she is? _"Get out!" Jean commanded, more calmly than she felt, as she reached out with her telekinesis to mentally close the door. But Lorna had other plans. She quickly cleared the door before it had a chance to slam shut on her and continued laughing.

"No, I'm serious! Look at you! Your nose is all red and puffy and you're sitting in a pile of used tissues crying over something that's so ridiculous and you're so damn stubborn about it that you're going to waste your vacation over it, too!"

Jean felt her face drain of any color it had left. She felt absolutely devoid of any energy, at least not enough to allow her to retaliate, but maybe enough to cry about for another hour or so.

"I just wanted to have a nice vacation. Then everything went under." Jean murmured.

Lorna took this as a sign that she could inch her way towards the bed. Taking a few steps, she began again. "Look, Alex explained everything to me. Leave it to him to come up with such a harebrain scheme for getting a girl, right? That idiot. I almost shot him when I found out what was really going on. And I don't really blame you. I know I can be a little forward with people, especially when I know they're going to be family, and I know what it must have looked like. If I saw some chick hanging on Alex, I'd probably knock her five ways to Sunday." By now, Lorna had maneuvered herself onto the bed, with only a small wall of Kleenex to protect her from a potential onslaught. She proceeded with caution.

"But you two have to talk about this and sort things out. It would be such a waste to ruin your friendship over something so stupid. Look, it's obvious by now that you two have feelings for each other; so why not DO something about it? Sure, it'll be a little awkward in the beginning, but you'll both move past it and who knows? This could develop into something that could last a lifetime. And yes, I realize how sappy I'm being." Lorna held up a hand to stop any comments from Jean.

Jean seemed deep in thought. This all appeared simple enough, but… "I don't know why this is so difficult for me. I mean, it looks easy enough, but for some reason, I'm dreading facing him. I never wanted this to happen. What if this destroys our friendship? What if a relationship doesn't work out and I can't have him as my best friend anymore? That would KILL me Lorna. I'd rather have him like this than risk something more and not have it turn out okay. I couldn't handle losing him. Don't you see?"

Jean turned pleading eyes towards her companion as if to convince her of her reasoning in one look. Lorna huffed in frustration and sat back on her hands, a stray strand of blonde hair falling to cascade over her forehead.

"I seriously doubt this would ruin anything between you two. I have the upmost confidence that everything will work out. You just have to trust me. You two are made for each other. I mean, look at you: you're both smart, gorgeous, model American mutants! You practically have Barbie and Ken labeled on your name tags, for Christ sake! What could be more perfect? All you have to do is talk to him. Figure out a way to work this out. It's a lot easier than it looks. And since you already know that he's interested, you've got nothing to lose! Please fix this soon, Jean. I'd hate for you to ruin your vacation because of this, and I certainly don't want mine ruined either! So do something, eh?"

When Jean looked up to thank her, Lorna had already left the room, the door swinging on its hinge.

She reluctantly pulled herself from her burrowed den of covers to trudge into the bathroom, feet dragging on the floor. After washing her face and re-tying her ponytail, she stood there looking into her reflection. Lorna was right: _I do look disgusting! Well, now's as good a time as any, I suppose._

She halfheartedly wondered if she should change into something a little nicer, but dismissed the idea. _If he can't appreciate me like this, then there's no hope for us. Besides, he's seen me like this plenty of times and never said anything…_

The hallways of the beach house were still unfamiliar to her, so she occasionally misjudged the clearances and bumped her shoulder into a wall. _Maybe it would help if I turned on a light…hmm…_

When she finally made it to the door, her nerve began to fade. _Take deep breaths. All will work out Jean! _She chanted to herself.

The door creaked open to reveal a man asleep, sprawled restlessly across a messy bed. Taking in the scene before her, she noticed a similar pile of tissues on the nightstand, except his pile had been stacked into the shape of a little tissue pyramid; something that only gets created when in the deepest boredom and remorse.

A red glow caught her attention next. He was awake.

One would think that this would be the time to be awkward, but that was not the case. _Aw, he needs his friend right now. _

After regarding each other for a moment of two, Jean crossed the room and crawled into bed next to him, facing away. As predicted, Scott came up behind her and wrapped his arm about her waist, tucking his face into her hair. They lay there like that for a few minutes before Scott began.

"I'm sorry Jean. I didn't mean for anything like this to happen. I was such an idiot. Can you forgive me?"

"I'm the one who should be apologizing. I don't hate you Scott. I could never hate you. The situation just got way out of control and we both said and did things that we didn't mean, so let's just leave it at that, huh? I promise I'll never do it again…" Jean trailed off sounding like a repentant child. So, that was their big apology? It appeared they had no fight left in them. Scott smiled against her neck and breathed in; preparing himself for the next big discussion, when something else caught his attention.

"Are those _my _boxers?"

"Uhhh….maybe…"

"What do you mean maybe? How did you get them? _Why _do you have them to begin with? Isn't it enough you steal my undershirts, which you're also wearing? Pretty soon, I'll have no underclothes left!"

"Hmmm…." Jean pretended to mock consider the idea, rubbing her finger and thumb against her chin. "I do believe that's the point Mr. Summers…besides, they're comfy!" She stated…preparing to scoot away quickly.

"Why, you cheeky little girl!" Scott secured his hold on her and began to tickle her mercilessly, stopping after a minute or two when the laughing tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. The position they ended in left Jean on her back, arms crossed protectively over her stomach and sides, knees bent towards the ceiling and slender finger darting up to wipe the moisture from her eyes; laughing subsiding. Scott rolled over onto his stomach and without a second thought, leaned in to nuzzle her neck, placing a soft kiss to the juncture of her shoulder and throat. As his lips touched her neck, he could feel her intake of breath as surely as if he had taken it; the thought sending a thrill up his spine as her pulse raced under his ministrations. He fluttered a series of light kisses up her neck and over her jaw, pausing before he reached her mouth to silently ask permission; locking ruby quartz to emerald green.

Jean met him half way, claiming his mouth in a passionate joining; breathing mingling, tastes exposed in sharp relief as their tongues tentatively explored. All too soon, the need for air arose; pulling them apart momentarily, only to find them together again after their respite; this time, in a calmer, gentler kiss, more loving than passionate.

It took all their willpower to separate. No words were needed between them; their minds forming a bond stronger than either had experienced before, putting their former link to shame. Jean sighed in contentment, turning and snuggling back into Scott's chest as he reached over and turned the light off; their embrace more intimate than their usual.

When morning came, there was only one thought in Scott's mind: _And so it begins…_

**

* * *

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Well, that was the end of chapter 4! Like I mentioned earlier, there will probably be only one or two chapters after this one, which I will try to get out ASAP! Man, I took WAY too long getting this one to yall as it was, so I hope you'll forgive and leave me a nice little REVIEW!! ….even if it's not nice, I love the feedback!


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